Sony Alpha DSLR-A900

The Sony A900 is the flagship DSLR in the Alpha range, and the company’s first to feature a full-frame sensor. Impressively it’s also the first full-frame DSLR to boast built-in image stabilisation which works with any lens you attach – a key advantage over its Canon and Nikon rivals. The Alpha A900 also overtakes the Canon 5D Mark II and Nikon D700 to boast 24.6 Megapixel resolution, tying with Nikon’s much pricier D3x. Continuing the professional specification are 5fps continuous shooting and a viewfinder with 100% coverage. It may not sport Live View or movie recording, but there’s no denying Sony’s arrived in the semi-pro market.

Pros: Very high resolution; built-in IS; 5fps; 100% v/f.
Cons: No Live View or movie recording; basic upper screen.
Overall: An impressive spec, but tough rivals from Canon and Nikon.

Nikon D700

The D700 boasts many of the flagship D3's features, but squeezes them into a smaller and lighter D300-sized body. So the D700 sports the D3's 12.1 Megapixel full-frame sensor, 3in VGA monitor, 51 point AF system and Live View, but additionally features a popup flash and anti-dust features. The viewfinder may not deliver 100% coverage, but as a full-frame model it's still large, and continuous shooting remains a respectable 5fps - even with 14-bit RAW files. There's also AF micro-adjust and in-camera correction of vignetting and chromatic aberrations. The D700 faces tough rivals in Canon's EOS 5D Mark II and Sony's Alpha A900, but handles admirably while delivering great quality output. It's also steadily becoming the most affordable of the new full-frame models.

Pros: Superb build. Quick handling. Full-frame. VGA screen. HDMI.
Cons: 'Only' 12.1 Megapixels. No histogram in Live View.
Overall: A superb DSLR, but compare closely with its full-frame rivals

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II is a powerful DSLR that represents a significant upgrade over the original 5D, and a tough rival in the growing ‘affordable’ full-frame market. The 5D Mark II may share essentially the same body and AF system as its predecessor, but almost everything else has changed. The sensor’s been boosted to 21.1 Megapixels, the sensitivity increased by three stops, continuous shooting accelerated to 3.9fps, and the screen greatly improved in size and detail to a 3in VGA model. There’s now also Live View, AF micro-adjustment, support for quick UDMA cards, an HDMI port, and High Definition movie recording in the 1080p format. It’s one of the best DSLRs for the money, although compare closely with the Sony A900 and Nikon D700.

Pros: High resolution and low noise; HD movies; VGA screen.
Cons: No popup flash; only 3.9fps; v/f not 100% coverage.
Overall: Highly recommended for stills or movies.

Nikon D300s

Nikon’s D300s builds upon the already highly capable D300. As such it inherits a 12.3 Megapixel sensor, large viewfinder, 3in VGA screen, powerful 51-point AF system, Live View, HDMI port and a tough body with great ergonomics. To this the D300s adds HD movies in the 720p format, a slight boost in continuous shooting speed to 7fps and dual Compact Flash / SD memory card slots, allowing you to backup images as you shoot them. The D300s also now features a Quiet shooting mode and a virtual horizon in live view. It remains one of the best semi-pro DSLRs on the market, but unlike its predecessor, faces a direct rival in the form of Canon’s EOS 7D. If you’re not already committed to a platform, compare both models closely.

Pros: Superb build and handling. Dual card slots. 720p movies.
Cons: No histogram in Live View or 1080p video.
Overall: A superb DSLR, but compare closely with Canon 7D

Canon EOS 7D

Canon’s EOS 7D is a high-end semi-pro DSLR positioned between the EOS 50D and 5D Mark II – which directly pitches it against Nikon’s D300s. Like the EOS 50D, the sensor is a cropped frame model, but Canon’s boosted the resolution to 18 Megapixels, and included both 1080p and 720p HD video options at a choice of frame rates. Canon’s also improved almost every other aspect, with the 7D boasting a viewfinder with 100% coverage and LCD graphics, 8fps continuous shooting, a brand new 19-point AF system with zoning, built-in wireless flash control and a new metering system which takes colour information into account. The body is also a little tougher than before, which all adds up to one of the most confident DSLRs on the market – but compare closely with the Nikon D300s.
Pros: Tough build, big viewfinder, HD video, zonable 19-point AF.
Cons: Needs a good lens to exploit resolution. Basic 3-frame AEB.
Overall: Canon's most confident semi-pro DSLR to date

Canon EOS 50D

Canon’s EOS 50D is a semi-pro DSLR which may share essentially the same body as the EOS 40D, but features a number of key differences. First is a significant boost in resolution to 15.1 Megapixels, and an increase in the maximum sensitivity to 12800 ISO; despite the higher resolution, continuous shooting is only fractionally slower at 6.3fps. The screen remains 3in, but is a new high resolution VGA model, and there’s also now an HDMI port for HD slideshows. Completing the spec are AF micro-adjustment, in-camera vignette correction, contrast-based AF in Live View, and software which lets you remote control the camera with your PC or Mac. The 50D is now a worthy rival to the Nikon D300 and a highly recommended model at this price point.

Pros: High resolution. Quick handling. VGA screen. HDMI.
Cons: Needs a good lens to exploit resolution. Face Detect mode slow.
Overall: A feature-packed DSLR, but compare closely with D300.

Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 / A500

Sony's Alpha DSLR-A550 is a mid-range model sporting 14.2 Megapixels, a vertically-tilting 3in VGA screen and built-in stabilisation which works with any lens you attach. What really separates it from the competition though are its quick Live View mode and fast continuous shooting. The A550 boasts 5fps with AF or 7fps without, making it the fastest DSLR in its class, and one of the few which can shoot action in Live View. There's no video recording, but if action photography is your priority, it's one of the best for the money. Also consider the A500 which hits a lower price point thanks to some reduced specifications, but crucially keeps the 5fps continuous shooting with AF.

Pros: Fast shooting; built-in IS; tilting VGA screen; quick Live View.
Cons: No movie mode and minimal customisation.
Overall: Semi-pro shooting speed at mid-range price.

Nikon D90

Nikon’s D90 may be getting-on a little compared to the latest models, but remains a highly compelling choice for anyone looking for a good step-up from a budget DSLR. You get a 12.3 Megapixel sensor with excellent low-light performance, fairly swift 4.5fps continuous shooting, a maximum sensitivity of 6400 ISO, a large and bright pentaprism viewfinder, good build quality and a 3in VGA screen. As a feature-packed camera on first release, the D90 also sports Live View, and 720p HD video recording - indeed it was the first DSLR to record video. Completing the package is a decent 18-105mm kit lens with Vibration Reduction. A great package, but compare closely with Canon's EOS 550D / T2i, especially if you're into video.

Pros: Great ergonomics, VGA screen, 720p movies, 4.5fps.
Cons: Movie mode is manual focus and has video artefacts.
Overall: A feature-packed DSLR at the upper-end of this category.

Nikon D5000

The D5000 is Nikon’s upper entry-level DSLR, and successor to the D60. It features the same 12.3 Megapixel sensor as the higher-end D90, along with its 720p HD movie recording and 11-point AF. Continuous shooting isn’t quite as quick, but still very respectable at 4fps. The screen may also not be as large or detailed as the D90, but it is fully articulated allowing you to compose at unusual angles. The D5000 also inherits the easy-to-use interface of the earlier D60, making it ideal for beginners, although it’ll also suit enthusiasts on a budget. Be sure to compare with the Canon EOS 500D / T1i though.

Pros: Great quality images with low noise; articulated screen.
Cons: No AF for older lenses; user interface slow for experts.
Overall: A beginner-friendly but feature-packed DSLR.

Canon EOS 550D / Rebel T2i

The EOS 550D, or Rebel T2i as it's known in North America, slots between the 500D / T1i and Canon's semi-pro range. It actually inherits a number of features from the high-end EOS 7D, including the same 18 Megapixel resolution, same metering system and same movie modes, giving it the choice of 720 or 1080p at a variety of smooth frame rates, not to mention an external microphone input. The 3in screen is Canon's best yet with a wider 3:2 aspect ratio to match the shape of images. The viewfinder, AF, build and general handling are essentially unchanged from the 500D / T1i, but if high resolution and movies are your priority, it's a great choice.

Pros: 18 Mpixels; HD video with mic input; great screen.
Cons: Build quality, speed and AF same as cheaper 500D / T1i.
Overall: The best choice for high res images and movies on a budget.